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New Beatles movie is a blast for fans

When I heard that Ron Howard was making a documentary about the Beatles, I knew I wanted to see it on the big screen. The Beatles Eight Days A Week was to be shown for just one night in theatres, before its premiere September 17th on the Hulu streaming service.

I hadn't been to a movie in a while, so I had some trouble figuring out the ticket kiosk, and how to work the reclining lounge chairs...not to mention sitting in the wrong row..but once I settled in, I was treated to a fun couple hours of immersion in the world of the Beatles.

The movie isn't about their early days in Hamburg or the Cavern Club (although they are mentioned). It focuses on the years they were touring--in 1963 before their first trip to America--all the way through their last live show on the rooftop of Abbey Road Studios.

If you're a Beatle fan like me, there probably isn't a lot you don't know about the story, and you've probably seen a bunch of the footage already. But it's so much fun to experience again! Everything from the danger the Beatles faced when surrounded by crazed fans, to the silly answers they gave at press conferences, and what it was like to film the movies Hard Day's Night and Help. (Paul says they were mostly stoned during the second movie's filming).

The documentary also gives us a sense of of time and place, with events like the assassination of John F. Kennedy and the civil rights movement highlighted. Did you know that the first concert in Jacksonville Florida that was not segregated was a Beatles concert? They said publicly that they would not play the show if it had been.

For me, the best part of the film was the live footage of the Beatles playing everywhere from Swedish TV shows to stadiums around the world. Thanks to restored footage, they looked and sounded fantastic!

I loved this film even though I was too young to remember Beatlemania the first go-round. Those of you who do remember those days first hand will likely love it even more.